Before coming to Barcelona, I had never been to Europe and I had expectations of what I thought this trip would be. After spending a week here, some of my expectations have been exceeded and in other areas, my perspectives have changed.
One of my biggest concerns coming into this trip was that the locals would not be kind or accepting of us Americans. This was mostly brought about by the anti-tourism protests which began in Barcelona shortly before our arrival. With locals squirting tourists with water guns and taping up the exits from hotels, I was scared, to say the least. However, this expectation was beautifully challenged when I got here. It turns out the problem is mainly with inconsiderate tourists, so as long as we are kind and respectful, the locals reciprocate. I have also noticed that local businesses here really appreciate you attempting to speak Spanish to them instead of just expecting them to cater to you in English.
Another concern of mine was that the metro would be scary and difficult to navigate. While intimidating at first, navigating the metro has quickly become second nature. Just the other day, we had to take multiple different metros to reach our destination and the signage made it very simple. Also, as we have encountered pick-pockets on the metro, they have all been called out and shunned. Everyone does a good job of letting others know if they see a pick-pocket and making a public scene of them so that they cannot get away with anything. Although their presence is concerning, I feel relatively safe on the metro as long as I stay alert.
Lastly, I was expecting a lot of glamorous, complicated food that I would be scared to try here. However, a lot of the food is the same or decently similar such as sandwiches, hamburgers, and pasta, and the food that is different has pleasantly surprised me. For example, I have come to love paella, patatas bravas, and drinking straight espresso. Restaurants here are also really kind and accommodating when it comes to dietary restrictions.
Overall, I have had an easy time adjusting to Barcelona and a fun time learning about it. Although living abroad is not as glamorous as it is made out to be on social media, it truly is an experience of a lifetime.
